LAHORE: One can only feel sorry for a country where corruption remains in the limelight but accountability stays on the back burner. Despite many differences and conflicts, the government and the opposition in the country have a consensus on at least one point — the process of accountability. In this regard, both “stakeholders” and “beneficiaries” seem agreed and equally convinced that there should not be any effective and efficient counter-corruption mechanism in the country. The government and the opposition were able to appoint the chief election commissioner and other members of the election commission with consensus. However, they have not been able to agree upon a single person to be appointed as chairman of NAB during the past five years.
The process of accountability in Pakistan has been mere empty rhetoric, used by both democrats and dictators alike, to get political mileage. Since independence, we have been familiar with words and phrases like PRODA, EBDO, Mohtasib, Ehtesab Bureau, Accountability Bureau and NAB. All such drives have lacked the political will required to accomplish the task of eradicating corruption. Accountability has been used only as an instrument by different governments to suppress dissidents within the system and victimise opponents.
As a result, corruption is persistent, pervasive and on the rise in the country. We have become a high-ranking, internationally ‘certified’, corrupt country of the world. The judiciary needs to contribute towards the goal of combating corruption by ensuring the establishment of the rule of law and compliance with rules and regulations. The role of the media is also important in creating an environment and attitude that encourages a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Only firm resolution, determination and political will can ensure all this.
Mohsin Raza Malik
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2013.
